I had the honor of participating in a meet-up between the National Council for the Fight Against High Cost of Living (CNLVC) and bloggers from the Association of Bloggers of Côte d’Ivoire (ABCI). The meeting took place on Friday March 10, 2023 at the Palm Club in Cocodyan upscale town in Abidjan, the Ivorian economic capital.
The record of state actions against high cost of living
Present the mission of CNVC and take stock of the actions of the State, in the context of the fight against the soaring prices of consumer foodstuffs. This was the objective of the meet-up to which Ivorian bloggers and influencers were invited.
Ranie-Didice Bah-Koné, economist and executive secretary of the CNLVC, took stock of the government’s actions against the high cost of living. She recalled the major actions carried out by the Ivorian authorities in 2022: subsidizing the price of petroleum products, capping certain consumer products, suspension of customs duties for the import of wheat… The Ivorian government has also ensured the maintenance of the price of baguettes and support for food crop women.
READ ALSO: Côte d’Ivoire/Year of Youth: Minister Mamadou Touré explains the issues to bloggers
A frank exchange between the CNLVC and the bloggers
« The purpose of this evening’s meeting was to meet a section of the population. This fringe is active on social networks, through the exercise of the profession of influencers, web activists. Meeting them allowed us to have the pulse of societycar often, they intervene, they are in contact with the populations. They are on the web to report, to denounce a certain number of things,” explained Dr. Bah-Koné.
According to the executive secretary of the CNLVC, it was important to have a direct and true exchange with bloggers and influencers. She wanted to present what the government is doing in the fight against the high cost of living.
“The government is making the fight against the high cost of living its priority. It was a question of presenting these measures to them, but also of listening to them. We wanted to elaborate on a number of concerns and take their suggestions.”added Dr. Bah-Koné.
“Inflation in our country is under control”
Dr Bah-Koné said that thanks to the measures taken by the Prime Minister’s government Patrick Achiinflation is under control in Côte d’Ivoire.
“The inflation rate of 4.8% that we experienced in January-February 2023 remains today at a rate that remains under control with regard to not only the rates in force in other countries and with regard to what ‘it could have been if the government had not taken the full measure of the fight against the high cost of living and if it had not taken the package of measures adopted since the beginning of the year 2022’she mentioned.
“The 4.8% inflation rate that we experienced in January-February 2023 remains today at a rate that remains under control”
Ranie-didice bah-koné, economist and executive secretary of the cnlvc
What is the government planning this year in the fight against dear life ? Bah-Koné announced that the State will continue what has worked and which allows Côte d’Ivoire to have a controlled inflation rate compared to what is happening elsewhere.
“Whether it be price cap measures, support for certain sectors. The government adapts its intervention according to the evolution of the reality. We want to be as close as possible to the concerns of the populations“, she pointed out.